In many types of welding operations, a wire feeder feeds wire to a welder. The welding wire is normally wound upon coils or reels and is unwound therefrom as wire is being consumed. Some types of wire dispensers have been provided which can dispense wire from wooden reels while other types of wire dispensers have been provided which can dispense wire from paper reels. However, to best of applicant's knowledge, a wire dispenser has not been provided which can accomodate both paper and wooden spools.
One type of wire dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,624 wherein wire is pulled from a stationary coil. However, a twist or torque is created in the wire and such a twist or torque frequently interferes with the welding operation. Many other types of wire dispensers have also been provided but they are either extremely cumbersome, expensive or difficult to use.